1G2 Land Magnetic Observations, 1914-20 



Mr. Dodwell, who took a kindly interest in our expedition, personally assisted in the 

 observations, of which a complete series was obtained August 7. 



On August 11, Dare arrived at Port Augusta with the camels, which appeared to 

 be, on inspection, a fine strong lot, in excellent condition. However, we anticipated 

 much trouble, for all had been wagon camels, and only 4 had ever carried packs. I 

 ordered 7 new pack saddles to be made, those supplied with the camels not being the 

 most suitable for our purposes. Discouraging information was received about the 

 scarcity of water throughout the country, and we were advised by the experienced not 

 to attempt the journey in such a bad season. 



On August 19 I left Port Augusta with the saddles and boxes which had been fin- 

 ished, and ordered the remainder to be sent out by construction train to the rail-head 

 through which we would pass, 113 miles from Port Augusta. Trouble with the camels 

 was experienced immediately. They persistently threw their loads, and broke away, 

 bolting through the scrub. However, by hard work on the part of my companions, we 

 were enabled to make some progress each day. The camels finally settled down to the 

 unaccustomed work after a lot of training. Camel feed was very poor all the way to 

 the rail-head, and water scarce, most of the wells and dams being quite dry. View 3 

 of Plate 4 shows the party en route along Eucolo Creek. 



At the rail-head I received the remainder of the saddles, boxes, and supplies by 

 train from Port Augusta, and also learned that Kychering Soakage, some 25 miles west 

 of Tarcoola, had run dry for the first time since white men have known it, and Wynbring 

 Rock-Hole, 60 miles from Tarcoola, was also empty. The railway survey camp was being 

 supplied with water by a string of camels continuously working from Carnding Well, 

 a distance of some 90 miles. Feed for the camels was a little better between the rail- 

 head and Tarcoola, but water was scarce, and some of the wells were too salty for drink- 

 ing purposes. Having arrived at Tarcoola on September 7, I found that there was no 

 water for stock or camels in the town. Water for drinking purposes was being carted 

 from Caladding Rock-Hole, 7 miles north, at a cost of $4.50 per hundred gallons. The 

 government well in the township was quite dry. We finally rigged up a whip over a 

 disused mine shaft and obtained fair water for the camels, containing 1% ounces of salt 

 to the gallon. For the use of the party, I obtained a few buckets of fresh water from 

 the police and eked it out with the stock-water. 



A prospecting party under Hannan and McKenzie had been forced back into Tar- 

 coola by the parched nature of the country. They confirmed the report that Kychering 

 and Wynbring were dry, and also reported that Ooldea Water, 160 miles west of Tar- 

 coola, was running short. They advised me to abandon the journey under the circum- 

 stances. However, the camel driver of the railway survey who had been to Ooldea 

 some months before was positive that Ooldea Water could not run short. I took his 

 advice and decided to proceed to Carnding Well, 28 miles northwest from Tarcoola, 

 water the camels and fill the kegs, and push on to Ooldea, a waterless stage of about 155 

 miles by the Carnding Well route. 



At Tarcoola I stayed 3 days to give the camels a rest, while I observed and com- 

 puted. Feed was fair. On the night of September 8, 0.57 inch of rain fell, and gave 

 us hope that some water would be caught in the Wynbring Rock-Hole. William Crook, 

 a lad, was engaged to accompany us for the remainder of the journey, as I found that a 

 fourth man expedites the work of camp. 



The party left Tarcoola September 11, and proceeded via Caladding Rock-Hole, 

 where we obtained good drinking water, to Carnding Well. The country was thickly 

 covered with stunted scrub, myall, wild peach, mulga, and sandalwood, all, however, 

 in a parched state. At Carnding the camels were watered and the kegs refilled, and 

 the party left on September 14, heading southward through the scrub. We reached 



